An 18-year-old Columbus man has been arrested and charged with statutory rape.
Investigators with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department arrested Darius Ellis, of 60 Caribou Cove, Monday night.
According to law enforcement, Ellis is accused of raping an acquaintance at a residence near Steens in Northeast Lowndes County. Chief Deputy Marc Miley declined to elaborate on the relationship between the two.
The female victim is under 16 years of age. The alleged rape was reported Monday morning when the victim sought treatment at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle.
Under Mississippi law statutory rape is committed when anyone who is 17 years old or older has sexual intercourse with someone who is at least 14 but under 16, or three years younger than the perpetrator. Statutory rape is also defined as having sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 14.
Ellis received a $50,000 bond. He remains in custody at the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center. Ellis does not have a prior arrest record.
The incident is still under investigation, Miley said.
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
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